Cities and districts
The Irad Special Economic Zone covers about 29,400 km². It comprises three cities of governorate significance and six districts (aimak). Each city has an elected council and a mayor appointed by the Governor; each district is headed by a district head appointed by the Governor.
Cities of governorate significance
| City | Population (2018) | Elevation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Talas | 1,120,000 | 1,250 m | Capital. Seat of the Government, the Territorial Legislature and the Supreme Court. Surrounded by Talas District. |
| Nurzhan | 850,000 | 470 m | Industrial centre of the Chu plain; refinery, rail junction and the Nurzhan Polytechnic Institute. Kobozev until 1992. Surrounded by Chu District. |
| Iyık Janyl | 310,000 | 650 m | Holy city of the Syro-Iradi Catholic Church, on the Naryn river flats; Church of St. Janyl (UNESCO). Surrounded by Lower Naryn District. |
Districts
| District | Iradi | Area | Seat | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chu | Chüy aimagı | 13,470 km² | Nurzhan | The Chu oases, oil fields and rail yards, the Chu Gate crossing and the belt along the foot of the Kyrgyz Range east of the Merke stream. Largest town outside Nurzhan: Merke. |
| Kara-Buura | Kara-Buura aimagı | 9,190 km² | Kyzyl-Adyr | The lower Talas valley with Aulie-Ata, the Trans-Talas Highway belt to the Talas North Terminal, and the plain north of the Kyrgyz Range west of the Merke stream. |
| Talas | Talas aimagı | 2,700 km² | Talas | The middle and upper Talas valley to the crest of the Kyrgyz Range: Kara-Bulak, Ming-Örük, Semiz, Kara-Oi and the Otmek valley to the Otmek Tunnel. |
| Lower Naryn | Tömönkü Naryn aimagı | 2,290 km² | Tash-Kömür | The Naryn below the Toktogul dam from Kara-Köl, the river flats at Tash-Kömür, and the Fergana rim farm belt past Bazar-Korgon to Suzak and Dostuk. |
| Toktogul | Toktogul aimagı | 1,270 km² | Toktogul | The Toktogul basin floor with the town, the reservoir and the dam, and the highway corridor over the Fergana Gateway. Formed in 2016. |
| Sary-Bulak | Sary-Bulak aimagı | 470 km² | Sary-Bulak | The mining district south of Talas: the Sary-Bulak Antimony Works, the Chatkal smelter, the Ak-Kyr cement works and the foothill villages of the Chatkal road. |
District areas include the cities they surround. Figures from the Territorial Statistics Office.
One country
The Government of the ISEZ regards Irad as one country, of about 217,400 km². Pending a settlement that all its people can accept, the mountain and steppe regions beyond the Qara-Chik line are governed by their clan councils under customary law. Matters across the line are dealt with through the United Nations Mission in Irad, the bodies of the 2007 Bishkek ceasefire and the joint technical commission of the Naryn Water and Power Protocol. Travel permits issued by clan councils are registered by the Republican Gendarmerie at the crossing points.